The Reverend Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., Publisher
The Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III, the 20th Editor, The Christian Recorder
1. TCR EDITORIAL
– GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS:
Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III
The 20th Editor
of The Christian Recorder
Life
is full of good news and bad news. Skin color, race or levels of income have no
bearing on the good news and bad news of life – every life experiences times of
good news and bad news. Good people experience bad news and bad people
experience good news. Good news and bad news are human realities.
Some
people would explain “the good news, bad news” scenario of life with the
clichés, “Into every life some rain must fall” or “Both sunshine and rain are
needed in order for plants to grow,” and “With rain there is mud and with
sunshine there is drought.”
When
I was an active duty soldier and a subordinate approached me with, “Chaplain, I
have some good news and bad news,” I almost always asked for the bad news first
with the hope that the good news would temper of offset the bad news. Sometimes
the good news did not temper or offset the good news.
There
were those times that I intentionally asked to be given the good news first
because I knew it was inevitable that I would have to deal with the bad news
and no amount of good news could alleviate the severity of the bad news.
This
summer of 2015 has been a season of good news and bad news.
In
thinking about the good news and the bad news of this season, I would recap the
good news first, because the good news does not lessen the severity of the bad
news.
The good news
The
Good news is that the Confederate battle flag has been removed from the South
Carolina State House.
The
good news is that Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina and a majority of the
members of the state house and senate had the courage to vote to furl the flag
and put it in a more appropriate setting where those who want to view it can
and those who don’t want to view it won’t have to do so.
The
good news is that flagpole upon which the rebel flag was flown was taken
down.
The
good news is that anonymous donors have provided a $3 million scholarship fund
set up in the name of the Honorable Rev. Clementa Pinckney to provide college
and advanced degree scholarships for members of the extended Mother Emanuel AME
Church community including the families of the victims of the June 17, 2015
tragedy.
The
good news is that thousands of persons, black and white, old, young, civil
rights veterans from the north and south and southerners, both black and white;
and Asians and Hispanics braved the scorching July 10, 2015 summer heat to
witness the taking down of the rebel flag. Black, red, white, and brown stood
and cheered together, “Take it down, take it down” and “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”
The
good news is that the AME Church and its leaders conducted themselves with
Christian charity and love through this entire sordid experience.
The
good news is that the nation is having serious discussions about the
Confederate battle flag and about racism and some companies have stopped
selling items with images of the Confederate battle flag.
The
good news is that preachers and especially the pastors who served Mother
Emanuel AME Church must have been preaching the Gospel of Christ and the power
of forgiveness as evidenced by the survivors of the “Mother Emanuel 9”
martyrs who all expressed forgiveness and love in the midst of their
grief. As Bishop T. Larry Kirkland
intoned at the funeral of the Rev. Dr. Clementa Pinckney, “Hate cannot drive
out hate, love drives out hate and darkness cannot drive out darkness, light
drives out darkness.”
The
good news in the midst of the tragedy at Mother Emanuel AME Church in
Charleston, South Carolina is that the AME Church remains committed to being a
“light of love” in the Charleston, South Carolina community, the United States
and around the world.
The bad news
The
Mother of Emanuel AME Church pastor and members were gunned down in a sacred
space that should have been a sanctuary of safety. They extended love to a wayward traveler and
were murdered allegedly by the same hand to which they had given refuge and
love.
The
names of the martyrs should never be forgotten: The Rev. Clementa Pinckney, the
pastor of Emanuel African Methodist Church; Cynthia Hurd, 54; Tywanza Sanders,
26; Sharonda Singleton; Myra Thompson, 59; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87;
the Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr.; and DePayne Doctor.
The
bad news is the killing of the four Marines and one Sailor in Chattanooga,
Tennessee on Thursday, July 16, 2015. The names of the four Marines killed
Thursday -- Thomas Sullivan, a native of Hampden, Massachusetts; Squire
"Skip" Wells, a native of Marietta, Georgia; David Wyatt, a native of
Burke, North Carolina; and Carson Holmquist of Grantsburg, Wisconsin and U.S.
Navy Petty Officer Randall Smith, wounded in a shooting rampage in Tennessee,
died early Saturday (7/18/15).
Their
deaths were a result of Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez who opened fire, shooting
seven people at two military sites in the city of Chattanooga.
Like
the Mother of Emanuel 9, the Marines and sailor who lost their lives
were tending their duties, minding their own business and a deranged gunman
brutally murders them.
As
a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a retired military
veteran, both bad news situations hit me hard and “hit me in the gut.” It could
have been I in a Bible study and it could have I in a military facility
murdered innocently. It could have been
any one of us.
The
flooding and wildfires in the western U.S. and the turbulent weather moving
across the United States are bad news events.
The
world, Asia, Europe, Africa, South America and all of the places in between, is
full of bad news.
So,
this week, in the United States, I am taking the good news first and the bad
news last.
As
hurtful as bad news is, if anything good can be a result of the bad news, the
pain of the bad news is lessened.
Good news result of bad news
The
$3 million scholarship fund set up in the name of the Honorable Rev. Clementa
Pinckney to provide college and advanced degree scholarships for members of the
extended Mother Emanuel AME Church community is a good news result.
The
furling of the Confederate battle flag at the South Carolina State House is
good news from a bad news situation.
The
Confederate battle flag removed from the capitol grounds of Alabama is good
news from a bad news situation.
The
energized conversation about the removal of the Confederate battle from the
“Public Square” and racism in the U.S. are good news items from a bad news
situation.
The
U.S. military will honor and memorialize the fallen military members who died
in Chattanooga. They will not be forgotten and their families will be cared for
emotionally and financially, though that will not lessen the pain of their
loss.
I
hope the AME Church will memorialize June 17 as a date we will never forget.
The AME Church should be planning now to commemorate June 17 or one of the
Sundays before or after that date as a memorial to the fallen Emanuel 9
martyrs.
The
AME Church must continue to take the lead in the fight for human rights and
gender equality around the world.
We
are experiencing some bad news events, but we must find a way to keep the light
of love burning and shining in a dark world.
3. READER RESPONSE
TO EDITORIAL AND OTHER ISSUES:
-- Pour l'éditeur
RE: Le drapeau n'a rien à voir avec le
patrimoine de la Caroline du Sud
Bonjour,
Je voudrais dire
qu'il ne faut pas oublier de chercher à résoudre le problème de racisme à la
base (les racines), c'est-à-dire les pensées. Car les pensées deviendront des
mots; les mots deviendront actions... Alors, je crois qu'il nous faut surtout
des sensibilisations en permanence.
Daigne le Seigneur
Jésus nous diriger. Espérons encore plus et toujours en le Seigneur
Jésus-Christ.
Joël Ducasse
Membre de l'Église
Saint-Paul A.M.E.
Port-au-Prince,
Haïti (W.I)
Editor’s Note:
My best translation of the letter above.
-- To the editor
RE:
The flag has nothing to do with the heritage of South Carolina
Hello,
I
would say that we should not forget to try to solve the problem of racism at
the root (roots), that is to say, the thoughts. Because thoughts become words;
words become deeds ... So I think we especially need permanent sensitization.
May
the Lord Jesus guide us. Hopefully more and always in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Joel
Ducasse
Member
of St. Paul Church A.M.E.
Port-au-Prince,
H
-- To the Editor:
Re:
Rev. Velma Grant's Op-ed...Posthumous Ordination Status for Mrs. Jarena Lee
In
my opinion, it would be more valid than some of the "Doctorate"
degrees being bestowed on some members of our clergy.
Name Withheld
4.
DOWNLOAD THE 34TH CONNECTIONAL LAY BIENNIAL AGENDA:
Please go to the
Connectional lay Organization Website: http://www.connectionallay-amec.org/home.htm
5.
THE YPD OFFICERS FOR 2015-2019:
Office: Name /
Episcopal District
President: Chinelo
Tyler / 5
First Vice
President: Loren Johnson / 6
Second Vice
President: Dzestinee Glenn-Bland / 11
Third Vice
President: Gopolang Kgaile / 19
Recording
Secretary: Cara L Davis / 7
Asst Recording
Secretary: Roberta Benton / 9
Communications
Secretary: Ayanna McLendon / 4
Financial
Secretary: Daniel Thompson / 13
Historiographer/Statistician:
Darius Bonds / 12
Worship Director:
Birden Mitchell III / 8
Editor, YPD
Gazette: Claire Crawford / 6
Asst Editor, YPD
Gazette: Jordan DeVeaux / 2
Parliamentarian:
Mychal Royal / 3
Committee Chairs
will be determined at a later date
6. NEWS AROUND THE
AME CHURCH:
-- Three children’s
choirs from across the U.S. perform at Emanuel AME Church
7.
THE REV. DR. E. GAIL HOLNESS AME MINISTER WAS THERE:
As a daughter of
the soul of South Carolina in spite of broken ankle on Tuesday-pressed my way
to the historic moment of the confederate flag removal.
I was there 15
years ago with my 11 year old daughter, now the Rev Ali Holiness, as we
protested with thousands of South Carolinians the removal of the Confederate
battle flag from the dome of the Capitol. While we were successful in that
effort, the flag was removed from the Capitol dome and place on a flag post
directly in our view at the end of the dead-end Main Street. In other words put
right in our faces.
I would not have
wanted to miss this happening for all the tea in China.
Nonetheless we pay
homage to the Emmanuel 9 whose unfortunate deaths from hate are promoting an
unbelievable sense of unity across the nation. As a daughter of the soil of
South Carolina (Columbia) I am especially proud of the responses that the
family offered for forgiveness. We set the standard for a non-violent response
based on a relationship with God and the church.
Now it is time for
us to get to the crux of the problem, which is racism fueled by hatred. We need
to engage in the following:
- Admit that racism
exists;
- establish small
groups to host intentional open and honest conversations about the subject
matter;
- engage
millennials in the conversation;
- engage people
from all races, creed, and colors.
- produce a written
document that will be a guide for others to follow inclusive of other issues
such as 1- unemployment; - economic depravation;
- Affordable
housing; and 4- education to name a few.
The revolution was
being televised and I am a proud AME because our church has seized the moment.
8.
THE BLACK CHURCH AND THE NEED FOR RACISM INSURANCE:
Can you buy
Insurance to cover racism and discrimination? You buy insurance to cover losses
that are caused by perils. If you own a
house or commercial real estate, you want insurance to cover the peril of fire. People who live on the west coast want
coverage for the peril of earthquake.
Residents on the east coast worry about wind from hurricanes and in the
Plains of the Midwest, tornado is the peril that causes you to lose sleep at
night.
It is not unusual
for people to want insurance to cover the perils that can cause devastating
financial loss. That’s why it should not
shock you to learn that the first insurance coverage for black people in
America insured the perils of racism and discrimination and it was provided by
a black insurance company.
It was
Philadelphia, 1787. The Quakers who ran
the city saw slavery for what it was, an abomination, a practice clearly at
odds with their Christian beliefs and doctrine. Black men and women in
Philadelphia were free and as free men and women, they could find employment,
purchase property and own businesses. By
the end of the 18th century, Philadelphia was a city of hope to African
Americans and home to a small but growing black middle class.
However,
Philadelphia was not utopia. Racism and
discrimination were sad facts of life for blacks in the city. Although free, Black Philadelphians were at
the mercy of the ruling class who could terminate employment at a whim,
confiscate property on a pretense or ruin black owned businesses when they
proved too competitive for their white counterparts.
In 1787, Richard
Allen and the most prominent among free blacks in Philadelphia came together to
form a mutual aid organization, the Free African Society of Philadelphia. Members were required to pay one schilling
per month for one year into a fund established by the organization and after
meeting that requirement, a member who fell on hard times could then receive
more than 3 shillings each week.
“after one year's
subscription from the date hereof, then to hand forth to the needy of this
Society, if any should require, the sum of three shillings and nine pence per
week of the said money: provided, this necessity is not brought on them by
their own imprudence.” source: 1st Article of Incorporation, Free African
Society of Philadelphia.
Many believed the
Free African Society fund was modeled after the Presbyterian Minister Fund,
America’s first life insurance company, created more than 50 years earlier to provide
aid and relief to widows and families of Presbyterian Ministers who died in the
service of the church. But the rules for
receiving aid from the Presbyterian Ministers Fund as well as other mutual aid
societies of the time were very detailed and limited in scope. That was not the case for the Free African
Society.
As you can see in the first article of the
organization’s constitution, members of the society could seek aid only by
becoming in need due to events unrelated to any imprudence on their part.
Consider this; a
black person in 1787 who could afford to pay in one schilling per month for one
year was a person of financial means. To
receive aid from the fund, you had to be a member in good standing in the Society
who suffered an economic reversal of fortune.
For black people of any means, the primary causes of economic loss in
Philadelphia 1787 were racism and discrimination.
Fast forward more
than 225 years, are the perils of racism and discrimination still significant
causes of financial loss for Black People?
Is there a need for a new Free African Society?
Sadly, the Free
African Society does not exist any longer, nor do any of the Black Life
Insurance companies that once served as the only source of life insurance for
black people in America. At one time,
there were more than 20 black owned and operated Life insurance companies in
America. Today there are none operating
as Life Insurance Companies. North
Carolina Mutual, Atlanta Life, Supreme Life are just a few of the companies who
provided a critical service to our community when other companies would not
sell to us. They were not perfect and in
many cases not very competitive when Large Wall street companies ended
discriminatory underwriting practices.
However, they like the Free African Society served as a hedge against
racism and discrimination.
If we don’t do
something quick, black owned banks will go the same way as the black life
insurance companies. Nationally, there
are only a few Black owned banks barely holding on. Black Life Insurance Companies, Black Banks,
Black Insurance Brokers, Black owned Newspapers and Black owned business in
general are the only real insurance against racism and discrimination.
After all of the
other black institutions are gone, what’s left and ultimately in jeopardy, the
Black Church?
9.
SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE FOR BALTIMORE CITY AND COUNTY STUDENTS:
Mount Calvary AME
Church in Towson, Maryland is seeking to help students from Baltimore City and
County return to school prepared and confident. Mount Calvary AME Church is
hosting a Back to School Fair for All Ages at the Mount Calvary Family Life
Center in Towson on Saturday, August 15, 2015 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The
Rev. Dr. Ann Lightner-Fuller is the pastor of Mount Calvary AME Church.
For decades Mount
Calvary AME Church has made it a priority to prepare students for high school,
and life after high school by creating experiences to expose students to
education and career options. This year the Community College of Baltimore
County is featuring a workshop on their Plus 50 Program for adults 50 years and
older.
Mount Calvary AME Church is soliciting individuals and organizations to donate school supplies through Amazon Prime in support of the school supply drive. Simply go to:
Ship supplies from
anywhere in the world at no cost until Saturday, August 8, 2015.
Learn more about
this event:
Mount Calvary AME
Church is located at 300 Eudowood Lane Towson, Maryland 21286
The Rev. Dr. Ann
Lightner-Fuller is the pastor and the Rev. Dr. Stanley Fuller serves as the
Executive Minister
Telephone: (410)
296-9474
10.
2015 PAYNE SEMINARY COMMENCEMENT: A CELEBRATION OF JOURNEYS:
The literal meaning
of the word “commencement” is “beginning.”
Yet, institutions of education use this word for the ceremony that
celebrates the ending of the academic journey for graduates. “Commencement,” in this context, celebrates
the new life and opportunities that await newly-minted degree holders. From May 20-22, Payne Theological Seminary
celebrated its Annual Commencement exercises.
In addition to the special season for graduates, this celebration also
heralded the beginning of a new journey for President Leah Gaskin Fitchue, who
ended her 12-year tenure at the Seminary.
Dr. Fitchue goes down in history as the first African-American woman
president of a school affiliated with the Association of Theological Schools
(ATS).
Incorporated in
1894, Payne Theological Seminary is the oldest free-standing historically Black
Seminary in continuous operation. It is
located in Wilberforce, Ohio, along with Wilberforce University, another
AME-affiliated educational institution.
While serving the entire denomination, the First, Second, Third, Fourth,
Fifth and Thirteenth Districts have special financial relationships with Payne
due to its geographic location. From
time to time, however, other Episcopal Districts have financially supported the
institution. The Seminary frequently
attracts students from other denominations.
It is clear that
the faculty and administration of Payne take its motto seriously: “So High a Mission,
So Holy a Calling.” Payne has been
continuously accredited with ATS since 1995 and is one of the few ATS schools
to have an accredited Comprehensive Distance Education Program. Recently, the Seminary has been approved to
grant the Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree.
Also, a new archives digitization project has begun in the Bishop
Reverdy C. Ransom Library that seeks to preserve not only Payne’s history, but
the legacy of the entire AME Church.
The commencement
weekend featured several hallmark events to celebrate the journeys of the
students, as well as Dr. Fitchue. The
celebrations started with the Bishop Vinton R. Anderson Ecumenical Institute’s
Fifth Annual Community Lecture on Ecumenism delivered by renowned ecumenist
Reverend Dr. Gayraud Wilmore. Dr.
Wilmore’s lecture probed the contributions of Bishop Anderson to ecumenism and
Black theology. Responses were given by
Rev. Dr. Louis-Charles Harvey, Presiding Elder of the Capitol District of the
Washington Annual Conference and the 14th President of Payne, and Mr. John
Thomas III, Coordinator of Youth and Young Adults for the World Methodist
Council and a member of the AME Church General Board. In the evening, a dinner in honor of the
graduating seniors was held with tributes from the faculty, administration,
alumni and students themselves. Many a
heartfelt story was shared regarding the meaning of the “Payne Experience” for
the students’ ministries and their lives.
On Thursday, May 21st
the Board of Trustees of Payne Seminary met.
Vice-Chair and host Bishop McKinley Young presided over the
meeting. In the afternoon, Dr. Fitchue
was honored at a small reception with family, friends, Board members and
colleagues in attendance. As part of the
celebration, she shared her gift of poetry with the audience through several
original compositions. In the evening,
the annual Alumni Worship Service was held with Dr. Harvey preaching “A Message
from Number 14 to the Payne Seminary Community,” drawing from John 14:6-12.
Friday, May 22nd,
began with the closing session of the Board of Trustees meeting. It was announced that Academic Dean, Dr.
Michael Joseph Brown, would become the Interim President of Payne. In the afternoon, a packed hotel ballroom
played host to the Tribute Luncheon honoring Dr. Fitchue. Felicitations were given from various
representatives of the political, academic and religious community. The outpouring of love included several
commemorations, such as the naming of a local bike trail in her honor and the
unveiling of a portrait of Dr. Fitchue that will hang in the “Fitchue Room” of
the Mitchell-Anderson Hall.
Following the
luncheon, attention turned to the capstone event of the week—commencement. Held in the Alumni Multiplex of Wilberforce
University, Rev. Cornell William Brooks, Esq., National President and CEO of
the NAACP delivered the commencement address.
Drawing from Esther 4:13-16, he challenged the students to remember that
God is “not named, but revealed,” and that the purpose for the students should
be “not later, but now.” Eighteen
students received the Master of Divinity degree, and honorary doctorates were
conferred to Rev. Brooks, Rev. Wilmore and Mrs. Vivienne Anderson, retired
Episcopal Supervisor and widow of Bishop Anderson. After the degrees were conferred,
Valedictorian Rev. Sharon Staples gave the Senior Response.
The appreciations
of this milestone weekend in the life of Payne are best told in through the
eyes of the participants.
Following are
quotes from various participants:
“I am taken by the grandeur of the week.
Payne does a great job of honoring the students…This is an historical moment
for Dr. Fitchue.”
The Rev. William
Fisher
President Student
Government Association
“In the 12 years
that Dr. Fitchue has been here, I have seen much progress—particularly the
online program, the DMin Program, and the renovation of Mitchell-Anderson
Hall. I also value the tributes to my
husband. It is gratifying to see that
Payne is on a good track.”
Mrs. Vivienne
Anderson
Retired Episcopal
Supervisor and honorary degree recipient
“This has been a great week in the life of
the church and this institution as we reflect on our past, present, and future.”
The Rev. Bruce
Butcher
President, Payne
Alumni Association
“It feels good to come home, and, on top of
that, they let me graduate too.”
The Rev. Courtnéney
Martin
2015 Payne MDiv
graduate
“This has been an outstanding week that
highlights the legacy and influence of Black theology today. This has been a transformational experience
for me.”
The Rev. Tristan
Salley
2015 Payne MDiv
graduate
“I was emotionally impressed and
intellectually motivated by the solemnity, the ceremonial richness and
scholarly content ... most notable, of course, was the Commencement
Address. As I listened to Brooks challenging the Payne Seminary
graduates, I couldn't help remembering an old adage I first heard at the
McDowell Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia where I was baptized into the
Missio Dei, God's mission for the Church, but also recruited for the special
work of Black liberation theology: "So inseparable are the NAACP and
the Black Church that one can confidently say that the Black Church is the
NAACP on its knees, and the NAACP is, indeed, the Black Church at the polling
place!" The warm greeting that was given to Dr. Brooks by the
Bishops of the Church and Payne Theological Seminary, and the gracious thanks
and fond farewell poured upon President Fitchue as she completed 12 fruitful
years at the helm of this distinguished institution, served to underscore the
truth of that old saying about the church and the Black liberation Association
that I had heard as a youth.”
The Rev. Gayraud
Wilmore
Theologian,
ecumenist, and honorary degree recipient
“We are pleased and grateful for [Dr.
Fitchue’s] leadership. She is creative,
hardworking, and a tremendous advocate for the faculty and student body. She has cultivated a remarkable spirit of
collegiality through hard work. She is
obedient to expectations of the trustees and uses her gifts of imaginative
energy to see that everything is done.”
Bishop McKinley
Young
Vice-Chair, Payne
Theological Seminary Board of Trustees
After the
commencement, The Christian Recorder
asked Dr. Fitchue to reflect on her experiences at Payne for this article.
She responded:
“The joy of commencement is elevated when you
have a commencement speaker is able to provide a message that is both prophetic
and priestly. Payne was honored to have
the NAACP President to capture the Payne experience and remind the graduates
that they are ideally gifted for ministry for such a time as this. The role of [a Seminary] is to be
intentional—encouraging new work and emerging leadership for the AME
Church.
I
want to acknowledge three people who believed in me. First, the Rev. Dr. Sylvester Odom of Mt.
Zion, Trenton, who saw in me a higher service to the church before I saw it in
myself. Also along the journey of people who encouraged was Bishop [Zedekiah
L.] Grady who said, “You’re my
candidate,” and he never wavered. Bishop
[Vinton R.] Anderson saw in me a greater capacity and took the risk in
appointing me. He decided that it was
time for Payne to have a female president and he selected me. Great leaders of the Church have to be
encouraged throughout their ministry. I
knew I had skills but needed others to have the preparation to be ready to
receive what I had to offer.”
*Submitted by John
Thomas III, Ph.D Candidate at the University of Chicago
11.
THE INJUSTICE OF A 145-YEAR SENTENCE IMPOSED ON A TEEN:
The Rev. Dr. Carlos
Holmes
Laura Taylor left
an abusive home at age 16 and was soon led by several adults – one of whom was
her 18-year old boyfriend – into a robbery spree that resulted in the murders
of half a dozen people.
Each member of the
gang was caught and convicted; and as a result, prison has been Laura’s home
domicile since she was 16. She is now 37.
Laura has been
sentenced to life in prison for her role in a December 1992 robbery rampage
that resulted in the shooting of nine people – six fatally. While it might seem
that life imprisonment would be a just sentence for an adult offender, the
lifetime penalty takes on a strongly unjust character when applied to a
teenage, especially when the facts of Laura’s life prior to the crime sprees
are examined.
Laura Taylor had no
one to turn to as a teenage girl. Abused sexually for 10 years by her
stepfather, unloved and ignored by her mother, Laura ran away from home several
times and once even attempted suicide. Documented evidence is available of her
reported sexual and emotional abuse.
She was given hope
by her brother who promised he would come home from the marines and take her
away from the loveless home circumstances. That hope, however, tragically
vanquished when he unexpectedly died in a car accident. Those closely familiar
with her case believe this tragic disappointment played a major factor in
pushing her over the edge into abject hopelessness and towards the eventual
criminal circle into which she would be drawn.
When the vulnerable
and emotionally needy 16-year-old fled her home for the last time, she allowed
herself to be drawn into the arms of an 18-year-old male that used the deception
of love – which was desperately lacking in her young life – to guide her into
the tragic robbery rampage that would result in her incarceration.
After her arrest
for the crimes at age 16, a little over a year later with only an inadequate
and passionless public defender as her advocate, she was convicted and
sentenced to life in prison. Currently she is serving her 21st year of
incarceration in the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville, Ohio. Under her
current sentence, Laura would have to live to be 122 years old before being
eligible for her first parole hearing in the year 2098.
In a letter written
from prison to her Minister-of-Record, the Rev. Dr. Charles Holmes, Laura
described her feelings upon receiving her sentence – sentiments directly
related to the abuse she endured and tried to escape. “When the judge sentenced
me to 145 years to life, I felt numb. Alone in my cell, I cried tears of
relief, because that meant that I’d never be forced to go home again. I felt
free,” Laura said in the letter.
Laura agreed to an
interview request in 2006 with television personality Mo’Nique for her program
Behind the Bars. She told Mo’Nique during the interview that her purpose was
not to plead for sympathy or a sentence reduction, but rather to express her
anguish and sincere remorse for her role in the murderous robberies, as well as
the hope that her story might help another teen steer clear of criminal
influences.
“People lost their
lives, and that wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right,” Laura said in the interview. “I
didn’t understand the concept that this was something I could never give back.
It’s hard because I constantly ask myself what I can do today that would make
it up…and everyday the answer is … nothing.” This interview may be viewed by
entering the following link:
By all accounts,
Laura has been a model inmate. She works in the prison optometry office making
glasses, she has earned her GED, and her conduct has won her the privilege of
living in the least restrictive incarceration area.
According to a 2007
report by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) on the practice of sentencing
teens to die in prison, Laura is among the 2,225 inmates in the U.S. that have
been sentenced as teens to life without any real possibility of parole. The
EJI’s findings on the majority of such cases are consistent with Laura’s
situation – that hers and other mandatory life sentences were made without any
consideration to their young age or life histories.
In addition to
arguing that such sentencing of teens to life without parole is against the
Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual
punishment, the EJI also notes that it also violates international law and the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, the latter of which has been ratified by
every country in the world except the United States and Somalia.
Bishop C. Garnett
Henning, presiding prelate of the Third Episcopal District of the African
Methodist Church, acknowledges the horrific nature of the 1992 crime spree.
Nevertheless, he notes that any law that contains no provision of mercy for a
child is unjust. He said that her then-young age and background of physical,
sexual and emotional abuse, along with her remorse for the role in the 1992
crimes, should not add up to a life sentence with no realistic parole.
“I believe the
church has a moral responsibility to speak out against injustice and speak out
for mercy,” Bishop Henning said. “I think if she is given a chance, she could
be helpful at reaching young people who are lost. I think there are a lot of
things she could do to help society instead of languishing away in prison.”
Bishop Henning also said that he plans to discuss this case with other AME
bishops, which he says could possibly expand the AME Church’s work on this
issue.
“The journey of
1,000 miles begins with one step,” Bishop Henning said. “We will work this and
hopefully gain the victory, and then go from there.”
Dr. Charles Holmes,
a retired pastor and presiding elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church
from Trotwood, Ohio, has been actively involve with Laura’s case since 1993
when he first met her while serving as a chaplain at the Montgomery County Jail
while she awaited trial. His ministerial relationship with her has continued
since then, during which time the injustice of her life sentence without any
meaningful possibility for parole has become overwhelmingly apparent.
“Should a few days
of awful activities in the life of a 16-year-old runaway girl with a troubled
past warrant that she spend the rest of her natural life in prison?” Dr. Holmes
questioned in his 1996 doctoral dissertation entitled Afrocentric Biblical
Hermeneutics with a Prison Ministry Emphasis. “I am not suggesting that she
should have gotten away unscathed or with a slap on the wrist; but the rest of
her life? That’s unconscionable.”
Dr. Holmes and his
wife Gwen have made the advocacy against Laura’s unjust life sentence a high
priority mission that he vows will continue as long as he lives.
*The Rev. Dr.
Charles Holmes is a retired Presiding Elder of the Ohio Annual Conference and
is the supply pastor of New North Street AME Church in Springfield, Ohio
12. REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT NAACP CONVENTION:
Pennsylvania
Convention Center
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
13. THE TRUTH IS THE
LIGHT:
*The Rev. Dr.
Charles R. Watkins, Jr.
Based on Biblical
Text: Romans 8:18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
The past month and
a half has been a very trying time. We have experienced the senseless tragedy
at “Mother” Emanuel and last week we lost another giant in our Zion.
I am personally
grieving the death of two very dear friends and colleagues, the Reverend
Clementa Pinckney and the Reverend Dr. Gregory Allen Grooms. I will forever
miss them both.
I find great
comfort in this passage from the Apostle Paul to the Church at Rome. Paul
speaks of a future unveiling of something glorious and in spite of the
heaviness I feel in my spirit I feel like going on! Paul encourages us that
glory shall be revealed. Our sufferings are just for the present time, “but for
a moment” but the glory that shall be revealed surpasses all that we have yet
seen or known.
Certainly we will
experience pain on our journey. There will be suffering on our journey however
the good news for us is, there is glory coming. In fact there is something yet
hidden that will outshine anything we have seen so far.
This magnificent
glory will not only be revealed to us to be seen, it will also be revealed in
us to be enjoyed. Our spirits should be lifted when we come to understand that
our sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory.
In other words, it
doesn’t matter what we’ve been through. Whatever we may have gone through is
less than nothing compared to the magnificent future God has planned for us!
That makes me feel like going on. We are going to wake up one day to find out
that the hell we had to endure pales considerably compared to the magnificent
plan God has for us. Excuse me while I shout, because that means that though it
may be rough and miserable right now, trouble won’t last always because glory
is coming.
God is stretching
us out because He doesn’t want us to keep on suffering reaching down to our
needs. God wants us to stand on our faith looking up to meet our destiny. The
Bible reminds us that “Blessed is the man whose strength is in you.” God
promises that blessed, happy, fortunate, to be envied is the man or woman whose
strength is in me and whose heart is set on the journey!
We are all on a
journey headed to the same place for the glory of God to be revealed. We are
all challenged to use what God gave us and to accomplish the work God has
called us to do so God will be glorified. Understand though that we have each
been sent in different directions. In other words, we don’t all go through the
same things and we don’t all go to the same places. However, the things we have to go through and
the places we have to go work to make us who we are and make who we are to
reflect the image of God.
All that we are
going through right now on this journey is to show us that no matter how hard
we try we cannot do a thing in our own strength. When we attempt to face our
problems in our own strength we usually find that we have just made a mess. In
fact we find ourselves at the end of the day beat up, beat down and shut out.
Oh, but when we
turn it over, when we yield to the Lord, “For His grace is sufficient for me
and His strength is made perfect in my weakness.” Satan has no win over God, “I
can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” In God we have all the
strength we need to deal with whatever problem Satan throws our way.
When we are weak,
He is strong. When things appear hopeless, He brings hope because we know the
reason for the hope that is within us. By faith we know God is with us even in
our grief and despair. We are encouraged to hold on, hold out and to just wait
on God. "They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall
walk and not faint."
What we are going
through right now might look and feel bad however we are challenged to hold on
to God’s unchanging hand. Hold on because God will never leave us by ourselves.
God will never turn His back on us in times of trouble. God will be right here
with us in the time of our storm.
We are encouraged
to just wait and see. There is a blessing coming. This that we are experiencing
right now is nothing compared to what’s about to be revealed in our lives. This
is not all there is; there is more on the way. This suffering that we are going
through is nothing compared to what’s coming. The present trouble we are going
through does not compare to the magnificent plan that God has for our life. I
feel like going on!
*The Reverend Dr.
Charles R. Watkins, Jr., is the pastor of Morris Brown AME Church in
Charleston, South Carolina
14.
GETTING TO ZERO: ZAMBIA PROGRESS IN 2015:
The Rev. Oveta
Fuller Caldwell, Ph.D. will resume next week
*The Rev. Oveta
Fuller Caldwell, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
at the University of Michigan (U-M) Medical School, Associate Director of the
U-M African Studies Center and an AMEC itinerant elder and former pastor. She
lived in Zambia for most of 2013 to study HIV/AIDS prevention among networks of
religious leaders.
15. iCHURCH
SCHOOL LESSON BRIEF FOR SUNDAY, JULY 19, 2015 - WHAT THE LORD REQUIRES - MICAH
6:3-8:
*Brother Bill
Dickens
Introduction
If you are
interested in joining an organization or seeking a particular professional
profession an initial screening will be conducted to determine your overall
worthiness. This screening process can
be a face-face interview, a written response to a set of questions or a
referral system conducted by a third-party.
Each will have a set of requirements that will be used to evaluate your
“fitness” for the task. There are
requirements to join the US Army. There
are requirements to obtain a high school diploma or a college degree. There are requirements becoming a
homeowner. There are requirements to be
President of the United States or Senior Engineer at Amazon, Shell Oil,
Microsoft or Google. Requirements are
used in order to obtain the right information so that the personality fits the
position. The Adult AME Church School
Lesson for July 19, 2015 looks at the requirements to be a servant of Jehovah
God. In modern theology we describe
these requirements as the building blocks for effective discipleship. The AME Church has defined Discipleship as
the key component for our current Quadrennial Work. The prophet Micah puts forth the definitive
requirements (outside of Salvation & Baptism) for Christian service. What are Micah’s requirements? Glad you asked. Let’s see below.
Bible Lesson
Micah 6:1-8 is pure
poetic beauty. Much like Ezekiel’s
description of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel Chapter 37) or Elisha’s
triumphant victory on Mt. Carmel (I Kings 18:21), Micah presents his case with
the oratorical skill of a prosecuting attorney, the insight of an M.Div.
trained preacher and the clinical diagnosis of a physician. Micah’s case starts with history. He reminds his readers and hearers about the
richness of their heritage and how God was always with them. He continues his discourse by presenting
several rhetorical questions (much like a theologian) about Israel’s futility
and hypocrisy in their worship practices.
As the first five (5) chapters of this great book has revealed Israel
has been a serial offender in dishonesty, injustice and social neglect. Verses 6-7 ask questions about whether
symbols and tokens of worship thru offerings are enough to correct for the
above transgressions. This leads us to
the climax, verse 8. Verse 8 is
inundated with wisdom, focus and simplicity.
Micah not only asks the “$64,000 Question” (What does the Lord require
of you?) but he offers in pristine clinical style an unambiguous response to
the question! One can’t overlook the
importance of the question. The question
is needed before Israel (and we too) can know the requirements. Micah, in an amazing didactic form spells out
the requirements: Do justly, Love Mercy and Walk humbly with our God. Micah’s “Mandate” is succinct, simple and
sharp. Jesus amplified on Micah’s
Mandate in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-11).
Micah’s Mandate affirms the character of God. God is just, God is merciful and God is
unselfish as witnessed in his selfless act of redemption through his Son
Jesus. Micah’s Mandate should be
reflected in our interpersonal and theological interactions with one another.
Bible Application
It is important to
note that some requirements are used for the sole purpose of denying access to
others so that a privileged few can enjoy the benefits of entry. These requirements provide no social and
theological value. Universal suffrage in
the USA was delayed in the 20th century (mostly in Southern states) through the
deployment of nefarious requirements aimed at disenfranchising black voters through
literacy tests and/or evidence of property ownership. These racist requirements were singularly
designed to keep black voting at a minimum and in the process exclude others
from participating in their 14th Amendment Right. Sadly, over the historical landscape, even
within some African American organizations, color requirements were used to
determine who was “fit” to join some social organizations. The dreaded “brown paper bag” requirement was
used to exclude darker complexion blacks from joining some of our elite
organizations in the 1930s –19 50s. Just
like racist requirements were aimed at keeping blacks from voting, such
intra-racial nonsense sought to maintain a perverted notion about race
acceptance. If requirements are used
to exclude and injure others solely for the sake of preserving the status quo
we are no better than the Israelites in Micah’s ministry. If we remember Micah’s Mandate we can avoid
the criticism of being hypocritical and derelict in our Christian duty. QED
*Brother Bill
Dickens is currently the Church School Teacher at Allen AME Church in Tacoma,
Washington. He is currently a member of
the Fellowship of Church Educators for the African Methodist Episcopal Church
16.
MEDITATION BASED ON ROMANS 7:14-25:
*The Rev. Dr.
Joseph A. Darby
Sixteen years ago,
as Second Vice-President of the South Carolina NAACP, I co-authored the
national NAACP economic sanctions designed to remove the Confederate Flag from
the State Capitol grounds in Columbia, SC.
I was attending the
Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church’s 2015 Leadership Congress this
past Friday, when we took a break to watch the streamed video of that flag
finally coming down and being carried away - very appropriately - by a black
State Trooper.
One of my
colleagues in ministry asked why I didn’t choose to witness the event in person
and whether I was bothered by the fact that the NAACP was not given credit for
staying the course when everyone else said that the flag’s removal was an
impossibility.
I said no, because
my obligation was to be where the church of my choice required me to be and
because getting the “credit” really didn’t matter - what mattered is that a
symbol of dark times in America finally came down when God used a tragedy at
Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina and acts of forgiveness by the
families of the slain to soften hard hearts, open up closed minds and make the
impossible become possible.
I offer my
experience this past Friday to you as an “object lesson” in a world where many
of us are sometimes consumed with who gets attention, praise and glory for the
good that we do. The many eager faces
seeking media attention following the Emanuel AME Church incident are testament
to that!
We all want to be
well regarded and acknowledged for the things that we do that are right and
worthy, but we’d do well to remember that we also do our share of less than
worthy things that we hope never come to light - there’s good in the worst of
us and bad in the best of us.
That’s why it’s
good for us not to seek glory for the things that we do right, but to give God
the glory for the good that we do and for all that’s right in our lives. When we go beyond whom and what we are, count
our blessings, and realize who God is, we can forget worldly acclaim, celebrate
the goodness of the Lord, and join in with the modern Gospel song that says,
“Everything that happened to me that was good, God did it!”
This Meditation is
also available as a Blog on the Beaufort District’s Website: www.beaufortdistrict.org
Get Ready for
Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship!
*The Rev. Dr.
Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South
Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African
Methodist Episcopal Church
17. CLERGY FAMILY CONGRATULATORY ANNOUNCEMENT:
-- The Reverend Dr. Michael W. Waters selected to
receive the 2015 SMU Emerging Leader
Award
The Reverend Dr.
Michael W. Waters, founder and senior pastor of Joy Tabernacle A.M.E. Church in
Dallas, Texas, has been selected to receive the 2015 Southern Methodist
University Emerging Leader Award at Southern Methodist University’s
Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration during the University’s 100th
Anniversary festivities on September 24, 2015. The award is presented annually
to a “SMU alumnus or alumna who has graduated within the past 15 years, and
[has] a record of extraordinary service and achievement to a particular
organization or cause that has brought distinction to the University, either
directly or indirectly.” Dr. Waters is
only the second African American to receive this prestigious award.
Please Visit:
18. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
We regret to
announce the passing of David Henry Patterson, Sr. on July 10, 2015. He was the
5th of 19 siblings born to the Rev. Isaac and Mrs. Mary J. Patterson. Brother David was the brother to retired
Presiding Elder Isaac N. Patterson IV, retired Itinerant Deacon, the Rev. Marie
Patterson and the Rev. Edith J. Patterson-Payne, pastor of St. John AME Church,
Conshohocken, PA.
The following information has been provided
regarding the funeral services arrangements.
Friday, July 17,
2015
Celebration of Life
- 3:00 p.m.
Mt. Moriah Newcomer
and Freeman Funeral Home
10507 Holmes Road
Kansas City, MO
64145
Telephone: (816) 942-2004
Expressions of
sympathy may be sent to:
Mrs. Julia
Patterson
112 Woodbridge Lane
Kansas City, MO
64145
19. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Regretfully We
Share the Following Bereavement Notice:
The Third Episcopal
District regretfully announces the passing of Mrs. Marian Syretha Frazier, the
mother of the Reverend Dr. Raymond Mickens, pastor of Quinn Memorial,
Steubenville, Ohio. Mrs. Frazier is
survived by her children, Mary (Pete) McElroy, of Columbus, Beverly Brown of
Atlanta, Georgia, Raymond (Robin) Mickens, Ronald (Maureen) Mickens, John
Mickens, Robert (Denise) Mickens all of Columbus, a host of grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
The memorial
service is will be held Friday, July 17 at 11:00 am
Mt. Vernon Avenue
AME Church
1127 Mt. Vernon
Avenue
Columbus, OH 43209
The Reverend Dr.
William S. Wheatley, Eulogist
Condolences may be
sent to:
The Rev. Raymond
Mickens
348 Sherborne Drive
Columbus, OH 43219
Telephone: (614) 316-0641
20. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
Regretfully We
Share the Following Bereavement Notice:
We are saddened to
inform you of the passing of Sister Bessie M. Hines, a Life Member of the
Women’s Missionary Society of the AME Church, a former YPD Director of the
Fifth Episcopal District and the wife of the Reverend Dr. L. Fisher Hines,
retired pastor, Fifth Episcopal District A.M.E. Church.
Sister Hines, in
past years, had served on several WMS Quadrennial Committees and was registered
to attend the 18th Quadrennial Session in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Service
arrangements for Sister Bessie M. Hines are as follows:
Thursday, July 23,
2015
Public Visitation:
9:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m.
The Celebration of
Life Service: 12:00 noon
Parks Chapel AME
Church
1102 4th Street
San Fernando, CA
91340
Church Office:
(818) 898-1833
Fax: (818) 898-9743
The Rev. Ira
Woodfin Dickason, pastor
The Rev. Dr. Leslie
R. White, pastor of Bethel Memorial AME Church in San Diego, California,
eulogist.
Interment at
Eternal Valley Cemetery, 23287 Sierra Highway, Newhall, CA. 91321.
Professional
Services have been entrusted to:
Ruckers' Mortuary
12460 Van Nuys Blvd
Pacoima, CA 91331
Telephone: (818)
899-1138
Fax: (818) 834-9251
The Family will
receive Guests at the Repast after the burial, at the Fellowship Hall of Parks
Chapel AME Church.
Condolences can be
sent to:
The Rev. Dr. L.
Fisher Hines & Family
40047 Heathrow
Drive
Palmdale, CA 93551
Mobile: (661)
496-7729
Residence: (661)
538-1378
21. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The Fourth
Episcopal District prayerfully announces that Suzann Manternach, the wife of
wife of the Rev. J. C Brown, pastor of St. Paul (South) AME Church in Chicago,
Illinois made her transition on Friday, July 10, 2015.
The Services will
take place as follows:
Wednesday, July 15,
2015
Wake – 6 p.m. - 7
p.m.
Celebration of Life
– 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
St. James AME
Church
9256 S. Lafayette
Avenue
Chicago, IL 60620
Telephone: (773)
785-9733
Fax: (773) 785-0089
The Rev. J. Leon
Thorn, pastor
Arrangements are
entrusted to:
Leak and Sons
Funeral Home
7838 South Cottage
Grove
Chicago, Illinois
60619
Telephone: (773)
846-6567
Expressions of
Condolence may be sent to:
The Rev. J. C.
Brown
St. Paul-South AME
Church
8911 South Mackinaw
Avenue
Chicago, IL 60617
22. CLERGY FAMILY BEREAVEMENT NOTICE:
The Fourth
Episcopal District is saddened to inform you of the passing of Mr. Phelmon
Desoto Saunders, the father of the Rev. P. David Saunders, pastor of Bethel AME
Church in Saginaw, Michigan. Mr. Saunders made his transition to eternal life
on Monday, July 13th.
Service
Arrangements for Mr. Phelmon Desoto Saunders:
Viewing: Tuesday,
July 21, 2015
2:00 p.m. until
7:00 p.m.
Chapel of the
Chimes Funeral Home
4670 South Inkster
Road
Westland, Michigan
48186
Funeral Service:
Wednesday, July 22, 2015:
Smith Chapel AME
Church
3505 Walnut Street
Inkster, Michigan
48141
Telephone: (313)
561-2837
The Rev. Dr.
Cecelia Greenebarr, pastor
Family Hour 10:00
a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Funeral Service
11:00 a.m.
Condolences and
other expressions of sympathy may be sent to:
The Rev. P. David
Saunders and Family
3335 Foss Drive
Saginaw, Michigan
48603
23. BEREAVEMENT NOTICES AND CONGRATULATORY
ANNOUNCEMENTS PROVIDED BY:
Ora L. Easley, Administrator
AMEC Clergy Family Information Center
Telephone: (615) 837-9736 (H)
Telephone: (615) 833-6936 (O)
Cell: (615) 403-7751
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-AME-Church-Clergy-Family-Information-Center/167202414220
24.
CONDOLENCES TO THE BEREAVED FROM THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER:
The Chair of the Commission on Publications,
the Right Reverend T. Larry Kirkland; the Publisher, the Reverend Dr. Johnny
Barbour and the Editor of The Christian
Recorder, the Reverend Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III offer our condolences and
prayers to those who have lost loved ones. We pray that the peace of Christ
will be with you during this time of your bereavement.
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